State representatives agree to extend Inslee's proclamation indefinitely

State representatives voted to extend indefinitely the governor’s proclamation Friday evening during the House floor debate.

Senators passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 8402 on Wednesday. The resolution would extend Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington - Roadmap to Recovery proclamation he signed Jan. 11 until the state of emergency is revoked or if legislative action occurs.

The resolution received 54 “yeas” and 44 “nays” from the House. The resolution now is a sort of agreement between the Senate and House to extend Inslee’s proclamation, and he doesn’t need to sign anything for it to take effect.

Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, said mental health issues among children were becoming more apparent. There is a sense of hopelessness among children, and local school boards and superintendents are the first to hear of it.

“We have a moral obligation to our constituents to do what’s right,” Dye said during the virtual legislative debate. “It’s our turn, as a legislature, to take back and assert authority.”

Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, said every legislator has the opportunity to do good things, so they should not give up the opportunity to do so.

“We’re concerned that we’re just giving up the power to someone else to do this, and we won’t have a further say,” Dent said during the virtual legislative debate.

Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, said it is good governance to evaluate each proclamation to determine if it should be extended.

“Our constituents expect us to discuss, debate, give direction and oversight,” Schmick said during the virtual legislative debate.

Dye, Dent and Schmick all voted against the resolution.

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, said the resolution is a “cruel irony” because it makes legislators’ work easier by extending the governor’s proclamation indefinitely. Meanwhile, the resolution makes life for the working people and small businesses harder.

“The policy behind this resolution is selfish,” Walsh said during the virtual legislative debate. “The people of this state want clarity.”

Dent provided an amendment that was not adopted into the resolution. Dent’s amendment would place a 60-day expiration period on portions of Proclamation 20-31, which waives and suspends some statutory and regulatory requirements for child care providers, like fingerprint-based background checks.

Dent said he was worried about individuals who are applying to institutions like the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

“I just think it’s a good idea to protect our children because they’re so, so precious to us,” Dent said during the virtual legislative debate. “I just would hate it if somebody slipped through without a background check.”

But Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, said allowing fingerprint-based background checks causes a business disruption, as many businesses are still closed and have a long waitlist. Institutions Dent mentioned can still conduct background checks even without fingerprints, she said.

Rep. Greg Gilday, R-Camano Island, also had an amendment that was not adopted into the resolution. Gilday’s amendment would extend the proclamation only until Jan. 31 or if it is repealed by Inslee or the legislature.

“I would assert it’s a good idea to have these matters reviewed on a consistent basis,” Gilday said during the virtual legislative debate.

However, Democratic Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said if Gilday’s amendment was adopted, legislators would have to adopt a concurrent resolution to extend the proclamation multiple times, which is “simply not needed.”